On-vehicle apparatus and content providing method

• US 8,473,115 B2
• Filed: 04/30/2010
• Issued: 06/25/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 09/25/2003
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Nezu, Yoshiyuki, Sasaki, Makoto, Yamazaki, Satoshi
• Primary Examiner(s): Khatib, Rami
• Application Number:
  US12/771,484
• Publication Number:
  US 20100228436A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,152 Days
• Field of Search: 701/36, 701/200, 701/400, 348/844, 345156-158, 345/160, 345/161, 345/164, 345/167, 345/168, 345/169, 715856-867, 340/988, 340/989, 340/990, 340/995.1, 340/995.11, 340/995.14, 340/4.1, 340/4.11, 340/4.3, 340/4.31, 340/815.4, 340/815.47, 340/815.48, 340/815.6
• US Class Current: 701/2
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/36 Input/output arrangements for on-board computers
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0482 Interaction with lists of selectable items, e.g. menus
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/096872 where instructions are given per voice
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/096883 where input information is obtained using a mobile device, e.g. a mobile phone, a PDA
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/0969 having a display in the form of a map
• CPC Class Codes: G09B 29/10 Map spot or coordinate position indicators; Map reading aids optical projection apparatus per se G03B
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 1/202 by remote control

Abstract

The present invention is applied to, for example, a multimedia terminal having a function of navigation equipment and a function of playing back video and switches a display from a map display to a source display also with source switching operators 13P, 13R. In addition, menus of upper and lower hierarchies are simultaneously displayed to accept operations through a touch panel and a remote commander. In addition to a press-operable main rotary operator, a press-operable sub rotary operator is provided on a side surface. Among operations accepted through the main rotary operator, only a specific operation relating to content processing is accepted through the sub rotary operator.

Claims

1. An apparatus having at least a first function and a second function and switching action by an operation of a commander, wherein:

said commander includes;

a main rotary operator which is configured to rotate about a horizontal axis and is at least press-operable and a main backward operator which when pressed instructs to go back to an original condition from a condition set by said main rotary operator, provided on a main operation surface; and

a sub rotary operator which is at least press-operable and a sub backward operator which when pressed instructs to go back to an original condition from a condition set by said sub rotary operator, provided on a side surface of said main operation surface, and

said apparatus;

displays a menu relating to switching action between said first function and said second function to accept operations of said main rotary operator and said main backward operator, and

accepts an operation relating to said second function among the operation accepted via said main rotary operator and said main backward operator also via operations of said sub rotary operator and said sub backward operator.

2. The apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the first function is a navigation function.

3. The apparatus as claimed in claim 2, wherein the second function is a content provision function.

4. The apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the commander is remote.

5. The apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the main rotary operator is connected to the main operation surface.

6. The apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the main operation surface is located on an upper surface of the commander.

7. The apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the main rotary operator is a jog dial.

8. The apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the main backward operator is located adjacent to the main rotary operator.

9. The apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the sub rotary operator is a jog dial.

10. The apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the sub backward operator is a press-operable button.

11. The apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the second function is a content provision function.

12. The apparatus as claimed in claim 11, wherein:

said content is music content, and

the music content to be provided to a user is switched by the operation of said sub rotary operator.

13. The apparatus as claimed in claim 12, wherein:

a list of music content providable to said user is displayed by a pressing operation of said sub rotary operator, and

a focus is switched in said list by a rotational operation of said sub rotary operator while said list is displayed, and the music content focused is provided to said user by a pressing operation of said sub rotary operator.

14. The apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the main backward operator is a press-operable button.

15. The apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the horizontal axis is parallel to the longitudinal direction of the commander.

16. The apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the sub rotary operator is configured to rotate about a vertical axis.

17. The apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the main rotary operator is press-operable in a downward direction with respect to a top surface of the commander.

18. A content providing method in an apparatus having at least a first function and a second function and switching action by an operation of a remote commander, the method comprising:

acquiring a first signal generated based on operation of a main rotary operator of said remote commander rotating about a horizontal axis said main rotary operator is at least press-operable;

acquiring a second signal generated based on operation of a main backward operator of said remote commander which when pressed instructs to go back to an original condition from a condition set by said main rotary operator, provided on a main operation surface of said remote commander;

acquiring a third signal generated based on operation of a sub rotary operator which is at least press-operable and acquiring a fourth signal generated based on operation of a sub backward operator which when pressed instructs to go back to an original condition from a condition set by said sub rotary operator, said sub rotary operator and said sub backward operator of said remote commander are provided on a side surface of said main operation surface;

displaying a menu relating to switching action between said first function and said second function to accept operations of said main rotary operator and said main backward operator; and

accepting an operation relating to said second function among the operation accepted via said main rotary operator and said main backward operator also via operations of said sub rotary operator and said sub backward operator.